An Altered Destiny
by orian
Summary: Read this wonderful story about a travling party of adventures!-REVIEWS PLEASE!


An Altered Destiny  
  
CAHPTER 1-"Just the Beginning"  
  
It was a fine breezy Monday morning on the third in the month of May. Serena Blackmoor and her party of adventurers had traveled many months and had grown used to the creatures, magic and people on the continent of Lorien. Serena had left home long ago hoping to free her mind of her parents leaving and her grandfather's death. She wondered the world not knowing what was to come but eventually came upon the town of burgton in which she met another party of adventurers whom had come all the way from the necromancers keep in the north. Their leader was a very large man, who even for a human was quite odd. His grace and charm only added to his powerful arms and legs. He said that he was "Rundig the great bard", and even though he just wanted to sleep with Serena he was very talented in the art of singing and dancing. His power of simple magic was a plus when he pulled out his great sword named "Fury's Edge". He could easily cut through an opponent with one swing. Another man who traveled with him was a stocky built fighter type named Kel'dorn. Kel'dorn was a very quite man with one large flesh arm and one arm that was crafted out of metal and gears. An unfortunate accident with a golem when he was younger left his arm useless until his father made him another one. His giant double headed dire mace struck fear in to the heart of almost everyone he ever met. And although he was a mercenary he could pack one hell of a punch when it came to being blunt about how he felt towards someone. The last man to travel with Rundig was a stereotypical Elven male named Samian Moonbow. His powerful divine magic had helped Rundig along the way and even saved Kel'dorn once when he was cut down by a frost giant. He always carried his finely crafted, Elven inscribed longbow which had a minor enchantment put on it by one of his town elders. He carried his holy symbol of Obad-hai around his neck at all times even if the laws forbid it. His poor chain shirt had seen better days and had been magically mended back together many times before. When Serena had gotten to know Rundig and his party they moved on, her taking the lead to nowhere in particular.  
  
After many more months of travel Serena and her small band of men grew once more when they came upon two traveling mage lovers. The man was not as tall as Rundig and less muscular; He was the shy type that took orders from his woman. He introduced himself as Exavour the Robed. His eyes were bright crimson red and his head as bald as that of a new born baby's bottom. He wore dark black robes that matched the color of the wood of his short spear and darts. His hands gave off a slight glow at all times, even when he slept they channeled the energy of the celestial plane. His almost demonic appearance just about caused a fight between him and the party. His lover on the other hand was an Elven female who kept her distance form him but at the same time stayed comfortably near. Her dark purple robes, almost black, were new and not yet stained with the blood of her enemy's. She carried a short bow and channeled like Exavour at all times. Rarely did the two of them use there weapons, they stuck with the magic that ran through there veins. If they needed to speak to each other in private they used the language of the dragons or the language of the under dark. The only name anyone knew her by was Exavour's pet name for her "Lia".  
From the time that Serena met the mages they traveled through the Tinder Mountains and past the Orc Settlement. Up they went fighting there way to the freedom that lie beyond, then finally reached the area they were aiming for, The Alcton Mountains. They never had a reason to travel there but figured that if any adventure were to come to them it would be here, due to the ballads that Rundig sang as they went.  
  
CHAPTER 2- "The Fight"  
The day was reaching noon and the party had to stop for a short rest for they had traveled for one and a half days without stop. Serena cracked her back and neck and asked "Is everyone ok with us stopping here for a few hours?" Everyone nodded in agreement and sat for the short rest. "Anyone need healing or a protective?" questioned Samian to everyone. No one spoke up for some time until Exavour motioned the elf over. "Hey, Sam" "Wanna have a look at this cut on my leg?" "Sure...hmmm ok, you'll be fine just let me cast a minor healing spell and you should be dandy." "Thanks man I owe ya one...or about eighty six from what I have counted." With that he giggled a little as did Lia. Samian touched his hand to his wooden holy symbol and down to Exavour's leg, all the while mumbling a few incantations. His hand glowed white for a brief second and the cut was healed. He looked up and smiled. "There ya go; you'll be ok for now." Another smile was shared among the two and a groan emerged from Rundig. He was sore from carrying the huge great sword and great axe for so long. He laid his head on a boulder and looked over at Serena. She smiled at him and looked away in to the shrubs. A look of panic ran over her face and Lia perked up to have a listen. The two heard talking in the language of the under-dwellers. Serena flashed a few hand signals at the party and with that they were on their feet. Everyone drew weapons and readied spells. Exavour had already taken the chance to cast a shield spell that protected him from physical attacks. Lia threw her hand into the air and started to chant a long and understandable spell of protection. Exavour knew that she was trying to cast the same mage armor that he had just cast on himself. She finished the spell with a light blue glow from her palm and a flash of light from her body. Samian had been in the process of casting a bless spell on the party when the first arrow was loosed and hell unleashed. The shaft flew top speed at Samian and he saw it coming, he reached out his hand and with one quick thrusting action he split the arrow in half, stopping it from hitting him.  
From down the path there came a loud yell of pleasure, the sound of battle raged and the little black skinned, white haired dwarves charged the party. They were equipped with armor and war hammers. From the back a few wizards could be seen casting on the defensive. The party watched the oncoming attackers and a grave look came over there faces. They knew that they wouldn't win this fight because of the overwhelming odds but they would try there hardest to take out as many of the little demonic beings as they could.  
The rows and rows of evil dwarven fighters and casters grew as the formed ranks and marched. A line of crossbow men was created at the front of the garrison. The dwarves winded up for the shot. Kel'dorn stood awaiting the foul creatures approach. Exavour reached in to a pouch and pulled out a small bit of sand and began the long chant and hand gesture that resulted in a giant burst of solid enchantment magic that caused a large hole in the lines of the dwarves. They fell in to a deep magical slumber. Lia, seeing what to do, followed in the casting trend and threw a powerful bolt of energy at a dwarf wizard that split in to another before it hit him, when impact happened it threw the dwarf to the ground bleeding like all ever. Samian also casted a spell, except instead of targeting a dwarf he targeted himself. The magic was weaved into a large shield of arrow protection. Serena let off two bolts of her powerful crossbow. The quarrels flew true and fast, hitting one of the dwarven archers in the shoulder and hip, he didn't drop but instead went into a burning fury. Rundig started to chant a bardic tune of war that inspired the party to fight to the death; He then stood waiting for the dwarves to finally attack. And attack they did, the crossbow men that were still standing loosed there missiles with a command from there leader. There bolts flew with no accuracy but much power. The first of the bolts to be loosed were deflected by Samians barrier of magic. The three aimed at Serena were close but only one made its true mark hitting her just below the belt line and next to the right thigh. She wailed out in pain as another few whizzed past her head at the trees behind her. Rundig looked up only in time to see the bolt hit him in the left arm. Lia dodged past the few aimed at her until one was impassable and hit her in the forearm on the right side. Exavour looked up and knew that after his Lia had been shot "The shit had just hit the fan". His eyes grew dark and he let out a thunderous cry of glory as he finished his spell and a large knife shaped ice shard sprung from his hand toward the dwarves, it landed with a splat next to a dwarf who was taking aim and the shrapnel did its job and disposed of him and injured two others. Lia recovered from her wound and unleashed her own sleep spell on the dwarves. A hole was punched through the lines of marching fiends. Two more bolts were loosed from Serena's crossbow and a dwarf hit the ground shaking from the spine imbedded quarrels. Samian knew that it was his duty to heal so heal he did, on himself that is, he casted a cure light wounds spell to stop the bleeding from his body that had affected him earlier in the day. Rundig reached into a pouch and pulled out a scroll from which he read and casted forth a magic ball of flame toward the dwarves. It rolled over a dwarf incinerating it instantly. The dwarves were growing angrier and angrier by the moment and started to form ranks to attack. The wizards in the back called forth there arcane powers to throw black rays of necromancy magic at Kel'dorn. They struck him and he lost the grip on his dire mace and started to stumble.  
Exavour was in the back still and shouted to Lia in the language of the dragons "Lia, cast the shocking grasp spell and turn invisible!" She replied with a simple head nod and went on casting the shocking grasp spell. As the dwarves advanced Samian called on the power of Obad-Hai once more and threw a beam of solid sunlight at one of the enemy wizards, putting a smoking hole through his head. Serena finally decided that her crossbow wasn't cutting it and drew up her bastered sword and shield. Rundig grabbed a potion off his belt and quaffed it curing himself and started singing once more. The dwarves now formed in ranks of many men charged the party at top speed and filed in to fighting formation. Samian reached over to Kel'dorn and worked up the power to cure him of his weakening ailment casted by the dwarven necromancers.  
With one mighty swing Kel'dorn destroyed a dwarf hitting him first in the gut and then in the head. Exavour and Lia noticing the dwarven soldiers starting to fight drew there arcane powers to turn themselves invisible and move around to flank them. Serena fought on and on killing many dwarves as she went, and only taking a few hits herself. Every chance that Rundig got he would sidestep and cut through one or two dwarves at a time, all the while singing. Kel'dorn didn't see the dwarves trying to swarm him and let them get behind him, they took the opportunity to full out back attack him and break almost every bone in his body. Kel'dorn took one last final swing at the dwarven killers and hit four of them, killing all but dropping himself in the process. The dwarves were relentless and took every opportunity to attack the party members with all there might. Serena fought a long and hard battle trying not to give herself much room for oncoming attacks. She too had been cut and bruised badly and with a last ditch effort took a mighty swing and decapitated three more dwarves before one landed a lucky blow to the back of her knee.  
Exavour and Lia snuck up behind two of the three wizards and grabbed them by the throught electrocuting them to death. This however used up there power of the unseen and the other wizard took advantage of this, With one powerful attack he hurreled four empowered magic missiles at the two casters hitting them both twice. Lia dropped and Exavour flew in to a wild frenzy and not caring about the out come yelled "Brethro daralis'ima gordalliaha!" and it was with that, that Exavour threw a magical bead of force at the oncoming dwarven guard. The tiny black bead hit and with a deafening crack of thunder it exploded and took out a ten foot radius of dwarves. The ones who didn't die were trapped in the bubble of force that was a result of the bead. There Exavour lie on the ground unconscious and barley breathing.  
Samian had just cast his last healing spell and couldn't afford to get hit again. He took out his long sword and started fighting. It was just him and Rundig now and seeing this Rundig lost all control and went in to an all out rage. He tore through the lines of dwarves with Samian and tried to kill anything in his way. He slaughtered about sixteen more dwarves before he finally took his final hit and dropped.  
Samian looked worried at the sight of Rundig down. He decided that the only way to win was to make one final hope for survival. He called and prayed with all of his might and hoping Obad-Hai would answer his prayers he wished for just one blast of lightning from the heavens. And that is just what he was granted, with a mighty crack of thunder like the sound of time itself being torn open, a great bolt of lightning streamed through the sky toward the army of dwarves and the party like an angry giant throwing a boulder. It hit the ground and shook everything in a four mile radius and destroyed everything in a two mile radius. The only living thing at the end of the vicious god like attack was one lucky dwarf who had taken all the potions from the party and drunken them all, he was lucky enough to get the protection from elements potion from Exavour himself. And with that all went dark and the shadows crept over the mountains like that of a giant Roc hovering the sky. Chapter 3- "A Rude Awakening"  
Days went by and much memory was lost from the trauma on that may morning. Serena looked around in her tiny dark, dank and rather odd smelling cell. "Hello?" she cried out as she rubbed her head. No one answered, and all that Serena could see was the shadowy figures of the other cell block prisoners. "Hello?" "Exavour, Lia, Samian...Rundig...Kel'dorn?" It was at this time that she heard another voice. "Ughhhh....my head...oh sweet heavens....Lia?" "Serena? Serena it's me Exavour."  
  
"Oh Exavour, are you ok?" "Yeah I'm fine where are we and where is everyone else?" "I don't know........I think that those dwarves took us prisoner." "Ummhmm.....Let me cast a light spell to help us see." With that Exavour started to chant and wave his nearly invisible hands. With the last slyable he touched his hand to his middle finger and a bright light emanated from his hand. The room lit up and he looked around. What he saw made him urinate on himself. Next to him was a rotting corpse. It was very unrecognizable to the bare eye. He blinked in amazement, laying at his side was Lia covered in blood. She was breathing but very barley. He looked next to his cell, the bars crafted of a black metal and inscribed with protective runes. Serena was sitting almost naked but dressed in simple brown tunic. She was cut up and bleeding, but now that she saw Exavour she smiled with a sarcastic attitude. She nodded to the cell across from her and there lying on a straw mat was Kel'dorn and Samian. Next to them in a cell of his own was Rundig, all of them were unconscious and not doing very well. No one had any armor or weapons and from the looks of it the dwarves had tried to cut off Kel'dorn's arm. It was beat up and very dented.  
Exavour looked down at Lia and touched her hair. She moaned a little and rolled over just barley looking up at him. Exavour started talking in the language of the dragons. "Lia, are you ok?" She replied weakly saying "No, I'm hurt very badly.....and I think that I broke my arm." "Don't worry my love, we'll get out of here alright and make those little bastereds pay for all of this." She smiled and said "Ok, I trust you and the others." "Are they ok?" "Yes, there going to be fine but you're the one that I worry about the most my dear." "Don't worry about me Exavour, that's an order and not a request!" "Yes my dear" he said with a slight smile and even though he listened to her he still worried. "Do you think that when we get our powers back for the day we can make an attempt to get out?" "For all of our sake I hope so." She rolled her head back and laid it on Exavour's lap. They sat there talking for the next few hours about how to get out and if this was the end they would do again what they pulled in the forest. Everyone came too after a day or so of no food and water. Everyone tried to think of a way to get out and no one could act on an empty stomach. Before they realized another day had passed and the doors had swung wide open letting in four dwarves in black mail wielding a torch and hammer each. Exavour dispelled his light the minute the door opened and the torch light could be seen. The Guards opened the cell closest to them which was Lia and Exavours. They looked in side and said in a deep monotone voice "Yous to....Get up....You are all part of the underdwarven coliseum battles from now till the day of yours deaths...understand?" Everyone looked grimly and decided not to do anything. "Good, every day you will fight for the people and if you don't do as good as we wants then you are gonna die!" "Got it?" Again silence fell on the group, and no one said a word or moved a hair. Well then we got a little treat for the two casters of the group...GET UP!" He boomed at the two frightened casters. They rose up and walked toward the door giving the dwarves an angry look as they left. They were bound in chains and taken out to the field. The doors swung shut and a key could be heard locking the door as they went. The hall was lit by torches and had been carved out of the living stone. The passage went out about thirty five feet and opened up in to a room where men and women were chained to the wall. The prisoners looked at the new comers and shook their heads. Exavour and Lia were taken to a spot where a spot on the wall was free. They were put in between a large half-goat half-man wearing chain mail and a tiny Halfling women wearing dried up dear leaves in her hair. The dwarves left and the Halfling women looked up and said in a squeaky high pitched voice "Hi, you here to fight?" "Well that was a dumb question cause that's why were all here." She laughed and sat down. "Who are these dwarves and what are they doing taking us hostage?" asked Lia. A stocky human man from the other side of the room spoke up and said "These dwarves are called Duregar or the under dwarves to some and there gonna fight you to the death or until you go insane like marid over there." He tilted his head over toward a little gnomish looking wizard type who was babbling to himself about how to pluck the feathers off a giant eagle. Thanks, I suppose" Lia replied. The Dwarves came back in and unchained Lia and Exavour. They were led out to a large dome covered stone crafted roof that was roaring with the pleas of the crowed. The mages were led to the middle of the arena where the were healed by the evil clerics of Nerull. They were then told that they will each get one weapon of there choice to fight with and that they were going to fight a creature to the death. Exavour asked for a short spear and Lia said that she wanted a short bow. The dwarves never bothered to take her gloves which had the magical ability to carry a weapon of choice (which is where Lia hid her Giant Glaive). The two mage nodded at each other gave a quick kiss and said a quick prayer just in time to see the large group of orcs emerge from the other side of the arena armed with heavy armor and big weapons.  
Chapter 4- "Harder will Come"  
A long tone sounded the beginning of the battle and the orcs started to advance on the two unknowing mages. There were nine orcs and only two of them. Exavour saw the attack coming and threw his palms out chanting at the top of his lungs, and when he finished the spell his muscles rippled with strength and power. Lia taking her chance waved her hands chanting "verno macdome'as sorputo." She finished the spell with a blue flash as magical shards of ice started to spin around her body creating a protective barrier and good offensive attack. The Orcs advanced closer taking orders from there leader who carried two twin short swords and wore magically enchanted armor. The orcs drew to about forty feet before they reached the mages and started to charge. Exavour took his chance to cast one last spell on the orcs before they reached them. He began to cast once more and this time a blue sand like material was blown over the orcs knocking a few of them out and to sleep. Of the nine orcs that started the fight only two stood ready to fight. Their leader had happily fallen asleep. Lia knew that they had just won the fight and decided to not use her glove and instead throw her ice shards at the two standing orcs. She concentrated and the ice shards sped toward the orcs slicing them nearly in two pieces. When the wind died down and the ice stopped flying the two orcs that were standing were now on the ground frozen and cut to death. Exavour and Lia ran to the sleeping orcs and massacred them as they slept. The crowed went wild at the sight of blood on the field and a tone erupted on the field sounding the end of the fight. Dwarves came out to the field and congratulated the mages. They then healed there minds from sleep and fed them. They ate and when they finished they were taken back to there cell and there they told the rest of the party of the fight and what they were being used for. The group sat there in the dark until Exavour and Samian casted light spells. There they talked about the fighting idea and about not having to escape, and instead earn there freedom. Hours went on and before soon they were all fast asleep in there cells.  
Chapter 5- "A new Beginning"  
The days of fighting went on for a while and about a week passed by before a tragic scene was displayed to the party by the dwarves. They had gone through the morning routine of cleaning and skirmishes when the dwarves came in and started to talk. "Hey....... yous guys and people got to fight in a hard battle today you got it?" While no one understood what he was talking about they all nodded and wondered. The Dwarves unlocked all of their cells and took them all out to the arena expecting them to fight as usual. But when they got there weapons and asked if they were fighting as one big team he said "Oh yeah but if you die here you aren't coming back." They looked very worried at his words but then a messenger came to his ear and whispered to him. A grave look came over his face and he looked up and said "Sorry to tell you all this but there has been a change of plans.....Your gonna fight each other on teams of three." He handed them a piece of paper that had the teams written out for them.  
TEAM 1: Samian Moonbow-Cleric  
Exavour The Robed-Sorcerer  
"Lia"-Sorcerers  
TEAM 2- Rundig-Bard  
Serena Blackmoor-Fighter  
Kel'dorn Riddenstorm-Fighter  
The teams had been picked and the teams had one hour to prepare for a fight that would wind up killing almost all of them, or wounding them. The teams were brought to a holding room where it was just them. They sat across from each other at a large wooden table, wondering if they were going to get out of the prison alive. "I have an idea!" shouted Exavour whom was full of excitement. "I have a spell that can turn me invisible." "We can use that on me and then have Lia create a decoy illusion of me." "Then Ill go and find a way out and come back here to report!" The group looked at him as if he were nuts but all agreed in the end that they couldn't fight each other and Serena being the leader told Exavour and Lia to go ahead with there plan. If any trouble came to the members while he was gone they would waylay the dwarves and fight in the battle without him. Exavour stood and bid everyone a farewell. He then proceeded to tap the magic of the celestial plane to weave a barrier of invisibility around himself. When he finished he snuck out the door and in to the hall. Lia took her time creating a good image of Exavour and when she was finished it could even talk and have an intelligent conversation.  
Exavour crept all along the halls trying to be silent and keeping to the shadows he moved around the area to an opening in the coliseum walls that led to the out side. He took a closer look just as the battle tone sounded and two fighters and a caster charged down a hill giant. The hill giant threw a boulder which smashed the fighter in chain mail. The wizard (who looked extremely old) pulled out a scroll and casted a magical barrier that would stop another boulder attack. The last fighter standing drew her mace and shield and attacked the hill giant crushing his large shin bone. He didn't take kindly to this attack and swung at her knocking her aside and out of the fight. The Wizard Put his hands in the air and started to trace runes in the sky. He chanted out his long spell and when he finished darkness fell over the torchlight arena. This hampered Exavours seeing ability but it only lasted for a second. When the shroud lifted the hill giant was nothing more than a hole in the ground. The Wizard smiled as he savored his properly cast death spell. Exavour Looked at the lock on the door and the mage from the field came toward him holding a key. Exavour followed the mage in to his quarters and with one quick smash he knocked the mage out. The key was his and he could now go back to the group. He casted another invisibility spell and left the way from which he had come.  
  
Only a handful of Dwarven guards had come to the hall where they illusion of Exaovour sat and looked up every time someone entered. The guards passed and kept going. About forty five minuets later Exavour showed up with the key out. Now they sat and made a plan to escape. They decided that when they hit the field and teams are called to fight they will fake fight to the door and open it and make a run for it. They would try to stay invisible for a while but nothing was guaranteed. It was the perfect plan and not one dwarf had expected it.  
Another fifteen minuets went by and the guards came back. They rounded up the prisoners and took them to the field. They gave them back all there gear since this was a friendly terms fight and would be to the death. They separated and with a long count from the crowed the fight started. They ran at each other parrying and blocking each others attacks. They fought there way over to the door as planned and Exavour went invisible. Lia quaffed a potion and also went invisible. Exavour turned the key in its hole and with a click the door opened. The party made a break for it. They ran straight through the open door and behind them angry shouts of the dwarven guard could be heard. They ran down hall and hall and stopped once for Exavour and Lia to cast a Wall of metal spell and an Ice shards spell. After that they continued on until at last they reached the edge of the tunnels where a small garrison of dwarves had assembled. In a quick second Rundig lost all wits and started to hack at the unprepared men. Kel'dorn had just picked up his dire mace and swung when he was hit in the side with a crossbow bolt. He flew in to a mild rage and ripped through the few remaining dwarves. Serena had taken a bad fall when a dwarf hit her in the knee cap. She recovered in time to get in one kill by shooting a dwarf in the neck and as he fell she cut his arm off with her sword. The Dwarves fell like flies in a steam vent and when they were widdled down to nothing fourteen dead bodies lay at there feet. Rundig came out of his rage and helped Kel'dorn open the cold iron gate. The sun was just coming up over there side of the mountain and they ran. They ran so far infact that when they stopped they didn't realize they were at the edge of the town of bay'leaf. The guards looked at them like they were some kind of unwelcome heroes cast out long ago for a terrible crime. Panting and out of breath they stopped and begged mercy of the townsfolk. The guards helped them in and brought them to the mayor who just thought that they had there own problems and needed to deal with it.  
It only took the party one week to realize what had just happened and when they realized it they looked at each other in annoyance. Thanking there gods that they had escaped they decided to leave town as soon as they could.  
Chapter 6- "An Awkward Ending"  
The party woke up that morning and moved out of town to the edge of the woods trying to go south once more. They didn't talk very much and moved on. They traveled for about two and a half days when they encountered once again the dwarves. The dwarves hid in a little valley waiting for the party. This time they were prepared. There were roughly four hundred of them and a separate group of casters off to the side that consisted of about twelve hundred. The party looked at the army that had been awaiting them for days. A great horn sounded and the dwarves charged. The party drew out ranged weapons and shot the oncoming dwarves to there knees. Exavour had readied his spell of fire ball hurling and when they came within range he loosed it killing the dwarves in its path. The dwarves that had died now were reanimated as giant hulking brutes three times the dwarven size. They wielded huge mallets and charged down the party. The party shed tears as they watched the army come. As the dwarves reached the party a giant explosion rained over the field of war and everything went up in flames as a god's presence hailed everything. The party was knocked off there feet and sent in to the trees. Serena looked up at the gargantuatian creature lumbering toward her and the others. It put its hands in the air and started to cast a spell in a voice from another world that shook the ground as it went. It finished and a fire ball the size of a mountain sped toward the party like a falling meteor. It impacted with a deafening crack like that of a whip and all went black.  
Exavour woke up lying in a cold sweat that had plagued his nightmare for hours. He was panting like a thirsty dog and his heart felt like it was in his throught. He looked over to see Lia lying next to him rolled up in the bed roll they had shared. He looked around the camp and saw no one and heard nothing except the smoldering fire. The nightmare had been a bad one and he had to reassure himself that the magical barrier he had created around the camp would last through the night. He kissed Lia on the check and rolled over to go back to sleep once more.  
THE END 


End file.
